Hearts Beat as One
by fandomfic
Summary: The pack decides to train both Stiles and Lydia to be able to protect themselves. Stiles and Lydia are stuck in the woods during a training session and have to take refuge in an abandoned cabin. Pretty much Stydia hope for all of you Stydia shippers and feel like their relationship in season 4 is not what it left off as...
1. Chapter 1

Beacon Hills was closed for the day because of a minor earthquake that erupted the night before. Instead of getting a free day off, the pack decided to meet because of some important things they needed to talk about. Their meeting place this time took place in Scott's living room. His mom was off also, so she put together some small snacks for them.

"Thank you Ms. McCall," Lydia said while dipping a cracker into some hummus.

"Oh anytime sweetheart. Hey and no damaging the house or else no more snacks for you kids." she said accusingly pointing at Scott while walking back into the kitchen.

"Alright guys. We've got a lot to talk about. First, I want to talk about why I called you guys over. We need more fighters."

Everyone paused and there was a long moment of silence. The only thing heard was the abnoxious chewing of an apple coming from Stiles.

"Okay, hold on. We have Derek, you, Malia, Kira, Liam, and... right yeah that's all." Stiles said scratching his neck.

"What I'm saying is we need _you _to train." Scott said.

Stiles glanced back at Scott with an _I can't believe you_ look.

"Stiles, you can't just expect to be okay with that bat. If you can't fight, then we have another person to protect. No offense," Kira had a guilty look on her face after speaking.

"Well it can't be just Stiles. Lydia needs to train just so she can learn to defend herself. Otherwise we'd be in trouble."

"Woah. No no no no. Lydia is not going out to any fights because she is the one who figures everything out. Is that not enough?" Stiles said.

Derek and Malia hadn't said one thing since the conversation began. Malia usually said what Stiles said, but this time she didn't. It was Derek who spoke up.

"He's not saying she has to go fight _everytime _we fight. But if she were to get caught up in trouble and no one is there who's going to defend her?"

Lydia was twirling her fingers together and biting her lip. She understood from both sides. _I'm not made to be a fighter_, she thought. _But I don't like to sit around making everyone else do it for me. I want to help._ She thought about this over and over and knew that she needed to train. She didn't like to be the girl that everyone protected. She wanted to be the girl that does the protecting. Her heart was pounding rapidly and her cheeks were slightly flushed on her pale skin. She only heard herself thinking and she could tell there was an argument going on. Why was this so difficult? Was it because she didn't want to look bad? Was she jealous that the other girls could fight so well and all she did was plead and call for help?

"GUYS! STOP!" Lydia shouted over the heated argument Stiles and Scott were having. Everyone got quiet and looked at her hopefully.

"Why is it such a big deal if I want to learn to defend myself? I'm tired of everyone defending me! Let me be a fighter. Let me be like Allison." She froze as soon as she said it. But she wasn't ashamed anymore of saying her name. It was Allison. She would want people to remember her. So she continued. "I want to be able to help. If you need a fighter, then _make me a fighter._"

"But Lydia, you're a banshee. If we didn't have you, most of us wouldn't be alive today," Stiles said reassuringly. But she wasn't reassured. Nothing he said was helpful. Not this time. Because this was the first time in_ months_ Stiles even came close to protecting her. She was just _so angry. Stiles always understands me. Or, he used to, at least. We understood eachother. He should be the one to be on my side. _All of these thoughts were reeling in her mind and she felt like she wanted to explode.

"I need to leave. Text me this weekend about training," she said to Scott, and before anyone could protest, she left.

The whole pack was shocked at her sudden departure. Confused, Stiles sat back on the couch that he stood up from minutes ago. He scratched his neck and ran a shaky hand through his hair. _What did I say this time?._

"Well, um, I don't have much else to say. Argent plans on doing the training with Lydia and Stiles. The rest of us will do our own workouts to keep our strength up. I need you guys to promise that you'll try your best to train on your own. I'll continue to work with Liam," He nods in Liam's direction and Liam nods back. "Derek will help as well."

"What about me?" Malia asked turning to look at Stiles.

"Malia, I think we've decided that you're ready to train on your own. Stiles told me that you're your own anchor." Derek said calmly.

Malia looked aghast. "Are you serious? It was Stiles that helped me! Not myself. I can't do it."

"No, Malia. You can. When I watched you, I realized you were trying so hard on the inside because of what you did to your family. You used that as your anchor, not me. You _can _do it." Stiles gave her a half smile.

"Malia, if you want to be in real control, you need to be able to use yourself. If Stiles were your anchor, he would have to be with you forever. You can't rely on that. I've learned from experience. Trust me on this one," Scott said sadly, remembering the day he couldn't control himself because of Allison.

Malia looked hesitant, but she nodded.

"Anyone else want to say anything?" Derek looked around the room until no one spoke. "I just want to welcome Liam to our pack. You'll learn, like Scott, that becoming a werewolf is a gift."

Stiles rolled his eyes and grabbed a cracker. But he stopped, a thought coming to mind. _Why was Lydia mad I tried to protect her? _He knew he needed to find out. So as everyone headed outside, he hopped in his jeep and set off to Lydia's house.

Her car was parked in the driveway off-centered. _Please don't say anything stupid._

He walked up to the front door and waited a few seconds before knocking. A few seconds later the strawberry blonde-haired girl was standing in the doorway, her face splotchy and shiny with tears. She didn't bother to wipe them away. She was wearing pink and grey pajamas with her hair tied in a messy bun.

She just stared at Stiles like she knew what he would say.

"Look, I don't want to talk right now. No need to try and comfort me. It'll only make it worse," she said, looking down at her feet.

"Fine. But we need to talk."

She opened the door slightly to let him in and closed it behind him. He walked off to her room that he'd been to many times before. Sitting on her bed, he looked up at the now blank walls that looked naked in her colorful room. She sat down beside him.

"Do you even know why I'm mad?" She asked, her bright green eyes looked into his chocolate brown ones. She didn't even wait for his response. "Do you remember when I had a feeling that Baron had came to the school, and I made you pull the fire alarm, and I was upset because no one found him and I got you in trouble?" He nodded "When you told me that you believed me, and you would go back just to prove it, I realized that you were the kind of guy that believed me when no one else would. You were the only person that kept me going when I was wrong. When you were lost and had sleep walked, the red strings led me to Eichen house. And I was so unbelievably upset that I was wrong and I'd failed your dad and everyone else around me. I was _so sure_ that you were there. I failed myself. But you know what? I heard your voice when you told me you believed me. And when you told me you dreamed you were there, and it felt so real, I never doubted myself again. And I never needed to." Stiles looked into her eyes with disbelief. He felt tears burning at his eyes.

"What I'm saying, is that all those times and all those memories with you feel like... like they were hopeless. Stiles, you're not the same. I'm not saying that just because you have a girlfriend, but I think a lot of people can see it. When you and I were...closer, you'd try to protect me all the time, but you didn't put all of your time into me. You still cared about everyone else while you loved me. I think Malia has changed that about you. I mean I'm happy for you. You deserve to be happy. I just think that she's never going to learn if you're the only one she can rely on. You see what I mean?" She nervously looked at the expression at his face, and it was pure shock. She could tell he was thinking a lot about his response.

"You're saying that you don't think I understand you like I used to?"

"Pretty much. And the other part. More so the understanding part though." She said while playing with the hem of her pajama shirt.

"Lydia-"

"I don't want to ruin this for you."

"Ruin what?" he asked, confused.

"Your happiness. Your first love. Your first relationship. Trust me, Stiles. I can wait" she replied. "I can wait."

Malia was standing by her locker the next day talking to Kira as Stiles walked into school. She looked over at him and quickly turned away. When he arrived he squeezed her arm as she slammed the locker door shut.

"Woah, Malia whats-"

"Thanks for the ride jerk," she yanked her arm out of his firm grasp as she stormed away.

"Malia wait! Can we please talk about this?" He asked her desperately while struggling to catch up.

"Talk about it? Fine! You ditched me. Okay. Done." The school bell ringed and afterwards she said, "I'm late for class."

Before she was able to leave, he grabbed her hand and pulled her into an empty corridor. She looked angry, but she didn't try to pull away.

"You know you don't want to go anyways," he said pointing at her.

"Fine. What's your excuse?" She asked, rolling her eyes.

"Lydia." He simply stated.

"Lydia? What abou-"

"Don't you understand? She was upset okay? I used to always be the one to comfort her because she just lost a freaking best friend and you know what? I've been too busy to even think about trying to comfort her! The least I could do was help her this time! Why is everyone so oblivious to Lydia? She's the one in the most pain! I've failed her. I told her I would always be there and I lied!" He was out of breath and both him and Malia were shocked at his words.

"Stiles, calm down. It's okay." She hugged him.

"Malia, I like you, I really do. But I need to care for other people too. I love all of my friends. If you can't accept that, then our relationship is going to sink. Yeah?" He said still hugging her.

She pulled away. "Okay," she said, and walked away. She didn't look mad but she looked stiff and strange. Stiles couldn't figure out what to do. _Does she really understand what I'm saying? Is she really loyal to the pack, or just me, and maybe Scott? Will she hate me if I tell her about Peter? Or if I don't?_

Stiles walked back outside thankful it was his free period. He got inside his jeep and just sat there, trying to collect his thoughts. His heart dropped when someone banged on the door.

"Stiles! What's wrong?" Scott said, getting into the passenger seat.

"For the first time in my life, I have girl problems," he said, trying to hide his smirk.

"Is it about Lydia?" Scott asked.

"Yeah how did you know?"

"Dude, it's pretty obvious," he said. "The tension in the room when you and Malia are together and Lydia is there. The...jealousy," he smirked.

Stiles thought about this for a while. Had he really been so stupid? Why did he think that he should move on? What happened to his ten year plan? Was this apart of it, and he just didn't know it? _No, _he thought. _I thought I was being good by helping Malia. Then she just...took over from there. Is she in control? Isn't it usually the guy?_

"Scott, do you think Malia has any idea what she's doing?" When he didn't answer he continued, "In our relationship? Like the only thing she knows how to do right is..." His cheeks redened.

"I think that good relationships struggle the most. And I read once that relationships are better off if the couple starts out as friends, and develops their relationship from there."

"Do you think Malia and I went... too fast?"

"Under the circumstances, yeah. Honestly man, are you really happy right now? You don't seem yourself."

"I don't feel myself, either. I'm not the kind of guy to jump into relationships."

"I think you were desperate." Scott said, and Stiles looked surprised.

"What?"

"A girl liked you. After Aiden and Lydia, you wanted to be with someone. You were desperate for change. Little did you know that _you changed._"

"I'm not the heartbreaker type, either," he said, running a hand through his hair.

"Think about it this way; You break up with Malia, you break her heart. You stay with Malia and live a happily ever after, you break Lydia's heart. What would cause you the most pain?"

"Breaking Lydia's heart."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2! Please write reviews. I will post more often if there are more reviews and tips. This has _lots_ of Stydia [pretty much the whole time they are together] and next chapter will be even better. Remember, write reviews please! Also, if you request something like a scene or something, I will credit you here for my next chapters. There is a lot more I have planned, including plot twists and such (yay, I know).

Training begins! Yay!

xoxo

* * *

Stiles knew all along that it was Lydia that would remain in his heart forever. All of the times when his heart fluttered in his chest, sometimes dropping all the way to his stomach, would never truly stop. Her beautiful strawberry blonde hair would dance in the wind and her green eyes would always prance across his face. Butterflies would find their way into his stomach and seem to always move around, because they never left until awhile after they were apart.

His feet crunched on the floor of the forest. Him, Lydia, and Argent were walking to a 'good training spot.' Lydia was wearing yoga pants and a pair of grey sneakers. They looked brand new. The trees were alive with the wind and birds chirped. It was a ten minute walk. They arrived at a circle of trees and a small area of just dirt. Argent placed a target on one of the trees, and pulled out two silver throwing knives. Lydia's eyes widened at the sight, probably because she'd never used any weapons before.

Lydia and Stiles reluctantly took the knife in their hands. Cold at the touch, they made Lydia shiver. She stared at it in wonder, debating whether she would be able to use it at all.

"So, Stiles, we'll have you go first. I want you to take the knife just like this," he demonstrated, "and hold it just above your shoulder and under your ear. The key is direction and speed. It's not going to do you any good if it doesn't hit them hard enough, or at all. Now, try to aim at the target, but don't take too long. Remember, if you're trying to hit someone, you don't want them to dodge it. Needs to come as a surprise, right?" Stiles nodded.

He prepared himself by standing fifty or so feet in front of the target. Without thinking, he threw the knife, using all of his lacrosse skills to apply into it.

It didn't hit the center, but it was pretty close. Surprised, he smiled at Argent and internally praised himself. He could do this.

Lydia cheered before stepping where Stiles was before. She mirrored Stiles's stance, using her left hand. She flicked the knife. It didn't land on the target, but it hit the tree, and fell off. Aggravated, she threw her hands in the air, rolling her eyes. Why am I so bad at this? Why am I so bad at everything.

"It's okay, Lydia. It's your first try. You were very close. Just try to use your legs, too. Put all of your strength into that one knife. If you do, you could hit really well. I promise," Argent told her.

She nodded, and turned back to the target. Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself and threw. This time, it didn't fall off, and it was just on the edge of the target. Better, she thought. I can do this. She smiled, satisfied, and her and Stiles high-fived.

The day continued with them getting closer to the target, and sometimes completely missing. Both Stiles and Lydia comforted eachother. But with each try, their form improved immensly, and Lydia began to feel more and more confident. All it took was a little reassurance, and hitting the target. It had been a few hours, and Argent made them do some laps and quick stretches. They would run to the North side of the woods and back to their new training setup. During the laps, they were quiet, but it was a comfortable silence. Except for the last time, when Stiles started a conversation.

"Did you just get those shoes?" He chuckled.

She rolled her eyes, "I've actually had them for awhile. Just never got the chance to wear them."

"I like this style of clothing. Suits you well," he said, losing his steady breath.

"Really?" She asked, trying to hide her smile.

"Yea. You could wear anything and look..." He paused.

She stopped in her tracks. "Look what?"

"Look... beautiful. Don't let anyone tell you differently."

She began running again, "Okay."

As they were getting closer, Lydia sensed that something was wrong. She slowed a little and looked around. When they arrived at the training site, no one was there.

"Oh no. Oh no no no," Lydia looked around, tears burning her eyes.

"Lydia, it's okay. He probably had to get somewhere. Maybe we took too long and he came looking for-"

"No. Something's wrong. I sensed it. Damn it. Stiles, we have to-"

She was interrupted by a loud clap of thunder. Suddenly, it was pooring. Stiles grabbed Lydia's arm and they sat in the area with no trees. It was the safest place they could go. Lydia was shivering rapidly.

"Lydia, Lydia what's wrong? You're shaking like crazy!"

"It's- rain- I- get- sick," she shivered in between every word.

"Okay, Lydia, we need to find somewhere to get you warm."

They walked a few minutes before finding what looked like an abandoned cabin. The wood was splintered and the windows were covered in duct tape. They walked inside the slightly broken door, and Stiles set Lydia in the corner of the front room. He searched the whole premise of the house and found that there was a full-size bed with a torn up mattress. The closet had one sheet, and a thin blanket. He spread the sheet on the bed, and took the blanket to where Lydia was sitting. He wrapped her shivering body in the blanket, and carried her into the room with the bed. He set her down gently, and rubbed her hair behind her ears. Her forehead was burning.

"Lydia, I think you have a fever. Do you get sick easily?" He asked, rubbing his thumb around her sweaty palm.

She nodded, and Stiles realized how pale she looked.

"Are you cold right now?"

She shook her head.

He took the blanket from her, hoping it would reduce the fever quicker. He took her sneakers off, and then her socks. Her toes were painted a bright red, matching the color of her lips.

"Lydia, try to sleep for me, will you?"

She nodded. Her breathing slowed, and he knew she'd fallen asleep. He continued to rub her palm, admiring her beautifully structured fingers.

"I've been an awful friend, haven't I?" He thought for a minute. "You know, I thought it would take much longer, you know. But maybe it can be five years. I don't see why not, you know. I'm not sure if Malia can sense my desire for you while you're around. It's just, I don't know if we're even official, Malia and I. It's like it was just so sudden. And honestly, I'm going to try so much harder to protect you, since I have knife throwing skills," he laughed.

Lydia's eyes fluttered and they opened halfway.

"Stiles," she said, struggling to speak. He looked at her shocked, internally hoping she didn't hear him.

"That's why-" She didn't finish her sentence, because she'd fallen back asleep.

"Lydia? What? That's why, what?" When she didn't answer, he punched his hand in the air, frustrated.

He decided to check out the rest of the cabin. Outside of the room, there was a narrow hallway that led to another door. He walked slowly to it. Opening it, he cringed when it squeaked, and he found what looked like a bathroom. The mirror was foggy with smudges, and the toilet looked old and unusable. The rain fell harder on the roof of the cabin. He didn't know how long they would need to stay here. The bathtub also had a showerhead without any curtains. It was a small room, narrow and claustrophobic. He walked to the sink, and turned the nob. The water came out brown at first, then it cleared. Yes, he thought. She can have water.

He walked quickly down the hallway, passed the bedroom, and came to the old kitchen. He did the same process for the sink in the kitchen, and the same happened. He searched through the few cabinets and found one pot, a bowl, and a spoon. There was also a box full of canned foods. How much luckier could they get? The cans didn't look too old, and he decided to put one in the pot and boil some water. The stove was gas, but it seemed to be working fine. He poured two cans full of chicken noodle soup and let it heat up. After about five minutes, the soup was hot. He turned the stove off and poured some of the soup into the bowl, and left the other half in the pot. He took the bowl over to the bedroom and tapped Lydia's forehead.

She stirred a little in the bed, and didn't fully wake up until he spoke her name.

"Hey. I've got some soup for you," he said, picking up the bowl of soup.

She sat up from her position and tried to grab the bowl from Stiles.

"No, it's okay. I'll do it," he said. He dipped the spoon and fed her. He repeated until it was gone, and set it back down on the floor.

"Thanks, Stiles," she said, lying back down on the bed.

He began to walk out of the room, but was interrupted by her voice.

"Stiles, come lay with me?" She asked weakly, making room for him on the small bed. Without answering, he took his wet shoes and socks off, and laid down on the empty space beside her.

He smoothed her hair back, and her breathing slowed. He closed his eyes, too, not realizing how exhausted he was. At this moment, he didn't care about the soup sitting on the counter. He cared about Lydia. About this moment.

And for the first time, he wasn't the little spoon.


End file.
